In a preview of an interview that airs on “60 Minutes” this Sunday, President Obama told Steve Kroft that he doesn’t know “in what way” Russia’s Vladimir Putin is challenging America’s leadership in the world. Oh really, Mr. President? Ground troops in Ukraine and Syria don’t count as a challenge?

Apparently not. Here’s the transcript:

I'm literally speechless. You may say that's because I'm typing right now. Actually, it's because I just read this. pic.twitter.com/FnFtdh3DFP

We assume the interview was taped before this morning’s announcement that the U.S. was cancelling its program to train the Syrian rebels that Putin is using for target practice, because this would be a great follow-up question:

Meet Allen West

Allen West was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia in the same neighborhood where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once preached. He is the third of four generations of military servicemen in his family.

During his 22 year career in the United States Army, Lieutenant Colonel West served in several combat zones: in Operation Desert Storm, in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was a Battalion Commander in the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, and later in Afghanistan.